March 25, 2023
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Article On Sports

How Does A High School Athletic Program Become Great?

Laura09 mins

I have often wondered what makes excellence in high school athletics? I grew up in an high school that demanded excellence in all of their sports programs, boys and girls. But, it was not always that way. Actually, when I attended this high school, our school was very average in sports. But, during my senior year, something magical happened. It just seemed like all of our sports teams started to get better and better. We won the state championship that year in both boys basketball and football. The next year, the school won state in football, track, cross country and girls tennis. After that, my high school has never looked back. What happened? How did we go from being average to being great? What was the tipping point? Was it just a great class of kids? Was it the coaching staff? What happened?
Well, before I Get There, Excellence In High School Athletics Is Earned…
By comparison, many years later, I know of a high school that is just the opposite. Academics in the school are great. I really believe the teachers, administrators and coaching staff are terrific. And… so are the kids. But, on the athletic field or court, they just don’t have it. They finish at the bottom of the pack every year in every sport. Why? How can one school set records for the number of state championships, while another school sets records for the number of losing seasons?
I have had the fortune of being involved with both types of athletic programs. You would think that being involved with a winning program is much easier. I would beg to differ. Being involved with a winning program is much tougher than being involved with a losing program. It’s tougher on the administrator, the coach staff, the parents, and especially the players.
Excellence In High School Athletics – Here’s Why It’s Tougher…
Being involved in a winning athletic program demands excellence. Everyone in a winning program knows that winning requires a total commitment to excellence. Winners don’t take shortcuts. Winners come in early and stay late. Winners work-out in the off-season. The community demands winning. The school demands winning. The parents, the school administrators, the coaches… they all demand winning. In order to win… everyone must do their job. It’s just not performance on the field. That is actually the end result of each person’s everyday effort to reach the same goal… to win.
But, how does a high school get to that position? How to you go from bad to average to great. I believe it starts with the school administrators. The administrators of the school must develop this attitude. This attitude must then be demanded of the entire coaching staff. Being average is no longer an option. If the coach is not willing to demand excellence, to put in a 110% effort toward the development of their sports program… they are out. The coaches need to develop their current high school players. And… they need to …

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A Short History Of The Mascot

Laura05 mins

A mascot is a good luck charm, a symbol representing an individual, organization or team. The word comes from the French word for charm. These charms are seen every day at schools and organizations all over the world.
Originally, the charm aspect of the mascot was what defined it. The soldiers in World War I carried mascots, such as buttons, figures, coins and other objects that they believed would keep them safe or give them better luck in combat. Some say that the mascots of early man can be seen in cave drawings of humans donning animal heads or other garb that would depict an animal that was being hunted at the time.
The mascot evolved over time from charms that were to bring good luck to the animals and other representatives used by schools and universities that we see today. This practice started in the 1800s and were usually live animals. The cost of keeping up with live animals became too much and the costumes started showing up.
Mascots also help to advertise and sell products such as breakfast cereals and drink products. Marketing companies have been utilizing them to draw interest in merchandise for many years. Local companies that use them for advertising are often used as goodwill ambassadors at events in their region. It was easier for a person in a costume to whip up the energy of fans at a sports game. The person inside the costume would almost certainly have to have an entertaining personality and the willingness to jump around and act silly.
They are often required to learn and perform certain dances that crowds are used to seeing at games. These artists do not want to let the fans down. Their specific getting flash loans purpose is to bring entertainment and life to the people in the stands. They also bring another source of income for teams,   schools and universities in the form of merchandising. Games and local retail stores are the best places to make money off of the products representing the team. Stuffed animals, keychains, hats and t-shirts among other products are often offered featuring the mascot of local and nationwide teams and schools.
These entertainers hold power over crowds of all ages. They can repel or attract attention. Any good team wants to make sure they have an entertainer that can draw the crowd in and get them to cheer for them. Teams often have interchangeable mascots and nicknames but the two do not have to be related, such as the Cleveland Browns who use four different breeds of dogs to represent their team, namely TD, Chomps, Trapper and CD.
Some of the most famous custom mascots of all time are Tony the Tiger, the Kool-aid Man and the Dig em frog. These are all examples of representatives that help to sell products. There are many cartoons and commercials based on these mascots that people can remember going back to the beginning of television.
Some famous sports team mascots are …

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7 Skills Needed to Work As a Coach

Laura04 mins

In order to be a successful coach, there are many skills that one needs to acquire. After researching different job descriptions, I feel that I would meet the requirements needed in order to be a good coach. The seven following skills are what I found to be most important in the field of coaching.
1.) Organization Skills- Coaches need to be prepared at every level with game and practice preparations. They also have to know what they have for equipment and who their prospective athletes are.
2.) Certification Skills- Now a days, many high schools and colleges expect coaches to be certified in the field. It is also beneficial to be a certified teacher or at least working in the school system. It is important to get the certification before applying for most coaching positions.
3.) Motivation Skills- Every coach needs to have a high level of motivation. Each coach needs to show their love for the game and be willing to do whatever they can to make sure their team is successful and enjoying the sport that they play.
4.) Communication Skills- Being able to effectively explain different aspects of the game is very important. One must be able to communicate to all different age groups when wanting to be a coach.
5.) Leadership Skills- As a coach, it is important to portray leadership skills both physically and mentally that your players will want to follow and learn from. It is very important that these leadership skills are positive and portray good sportsmanship.
6.) Problem Solving Skills- Many times as a coach, it is very likely that problems will arise that one needs to fix quickly and effectively. These skills could be used during games, practices and with building team chemistry.
7.) Experience- Coaches are often required to have past coaching and playing experience to ensure that they have knowledge and understanding of the game.
These seven skills are very important to a coach’s success and should always be strived for. Without these skills, it would be very difficult to have a successful and enjoyable career. It is also important to have these skills to ensure the enjoyment and success of the team and players.…

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Overview Of Value Sports Collectibles

Laura05 mins

The article describes the sports collectibles value and how to collect valuable sports collectibles and artifacts.
If you are a sports lover, you also probably enjoy collecting value sports collectibles from different sources. Now sports collectibles value is huge in the market and it is necessary to do proper investigation to know about different sports artifacts and their value.
The fact is that there are a number of sellers and distributors in the market who offer different branded sports memorabilia at various price ranges. You should be well acquainted with the real value sports collectibles. For instance, Derek Jeter autographed sports memorabilia or accessories are not only popular but also famous in the sports world. Sportsmen prefer and value sports collectibles which are autographed by Derek Jeter and other such great sports people. You can get signed baseballs, bats, gloves and caps at the cost effective price ranges.
Famous sports personalities sign autographs for distribution among sports enthusiasts. You will get information on all of these items on the Internet. You need to log on to online portals to collect pictures and images of baseballs signed by your favorite sports person along with short ranged reviews on sports artifacts value. However, you will have to choose authentic sites which offer genuine value sports collectibles at good prices. In this connection, you should do comprehensive comparison studies on the Internet to know about the quality and price of collectibles which have been autographed by sports personalities.
In addition, there are different price rates set according to value sports artifacts. You can get a baseball which has been signed by Jeter just paying $500. Is it a fixed rate? The price of sports antiques and memorabilia fluctuates depending on the sports collectibles value which depends on the authenticity and the quality of the product. If you face any online scam or fake dealing, you will get sports artifacts of no or very less value.
Before finalizing the deal, check the performance track records of dealers. There are certain authorized sports memorabilia also available at good prices in the market. You can read reviews and feedback to know how to shop on the Internet to get good quality value sports collectibles at good prices.
Experts and eminent sports stars have confessed that when a person buys a brand new baseball which has been signed by your favorite baseball player or even a basketball or football signed by your favorite sports star, he or she will get a flawless ball without a single scratch or stain. On the other hand, if you like to purchase reconditioned or used products that were used in a game, you can’t expect smudge free sports memorabilia. Therefore, it is up to you to decide what you want and you should know that value of sports artifacts will depend on this decision of yours.…

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Sports in Space and Unfair Advantages in the 2404 Galactic Olympic Games

Laura05 mins

It should be noted that Earth is a most excellent platform, domicile, habitat, and biosphere for humankind. Indeed, this species has done well in its evolutionary process to make the most of what is available, and developed a large brain to modify it further to fit its needs. Humans have also developed sports to exercise those genes, even if many are not needed due to the conquering of nature, weather, and other hungry species herein.
Okay so, let’s talk about what happens when humans go off-world, and the future of sports in space – namely the future of the Olympic Galactic Games.
Interestingly enough, I was out in Los Angeles over the Thanksgiving Holiday and the big cross-town rivalry College Football Game was on; USC Versus UCLA. Well, it wasn’t really a “game” as it was more like a slaughter with USC scoring 50 points and UCLA “zero” and two-days later the head coach of UCLA football got fired, which I suppose is quite understandable. Nevertheless, this unbalanced football game made me ponder the future of sports, and let me explain why.
You see, in college I was an athlete, a runner, and when track stars came out from Denver, training at a mile-high they certainly had the advantage competing with us out here in California at sea level, plus or minus, 50 meters. These runners were, due to their training at altitude, much better conditioned runners, and very hard to beat. Thus, what I am saying is that there are incredible advantages based on the training environment.
Therefore, those who train in off-world planets in harsh conditions, more gravity, different atmosphere, or under strenuous conditions will be hard to beat in Earth’s climate and conditions, the conditions which humans were originally evolved from. Further, over many generations, perhaps 10 or more those in the harder to deal with environments will become superior and adapted for them, which would make competing on Earth a piece of cake.
Today, the world soccer federation does not allow soccer games at the top of Bolivia’s La Paz capital because athletes cannot handle it, get fatigued, winded, and unable to compete, some even pass out. Remember there is less oxygen at altitude, and it gets cold up there, those two things combined are pure hell on human muscles that are not conditioned for that. In this case the Bolivian soccer players have a great advantage, almost as Llamas do in the higher altitudes than any of their other distant-cousin species.
The future of human evolution once diversified will bring with it different skill levels due to different environments, and thus, we should expect this to be in the future development of mankind’s sports. Please consider all this and think on it.…

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2010 ALDS Preview: Tampa Bay Rays Vs Texas Rangers

Laura06 mins

Read Lenny’s Yankees-Twins’ ALDS Preview, including a free baseball pick.
It’s hard to fathom, but the Tampa Bay Rays are the more playoff-tested team in their American League Division Series as they draw the Texas Rangers, who qualified for the postseason for the first time since 1999. The series price has the Rays -165 on the betting line while the comeback has the Rangers at +135 at . Tampa Bay won the season series 4-2, including a three-game sweep here in the teams’ lone series at Tropicana Field back in August.
The Rays (96-66) clinched home field advantage throughout the American League playoffs on the final day of the regular season by virtue of a 3-2, extra-innings win over Kansas City, coupled with the Yankees’ loss in Boston. After clinching no worse than a Wild Card berth with Tuesday’s 5-0 win over the Orioles, Tampa would go on to lose five of its final seven games, getting shutout three times and scoring only nine runs in the process.
As mentioned above, Texas is in the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. They clinched the American League West pennant on September 25th and split its final eight games from there on out. In their three previous playoff appearances, the Rangers were eliminated by the Yankees each time, including back to back sweeps in 1998 and 1999. This is one of just three teams never to have made it to a World Series and is the only team in MLB never to have won a postseason series.
Game One of this series takes place Wednesday afternoon and features a fantastic pitching matchup of Cliff Lee (12-9, 3.18 ERA) vs. David Lee (19-6, 2.73 ERA), a battle of southpaws. Tampa Bay has opened as a $1.21 favorite on the betting line and the majority of the betting trends do favor the home team here. Price was sensational at home this year with a 12-4 team start record and as a favorite of -125 to -175, his TSR was 11-1. Lee could find it tough sledding against a Rays lineup that has gone 36-19 vs. lefties in 2010 with 5.2 runs scored per game. It’s also worth noting that all nine of Price’s daytime starts at home this season went Under the total. The betting total for Game 1 has opened at seven runs.
The rest of the pitching matchups go as follows: Game 2 (Thursday) – C.J. Wilson (15-8, 3.35 ERA) vs. Matt Garza (15-10, 3.91 ERA), Game 3 (Saturday) – Wade Davis (12-10, 4.14) vs. Colby Lewis (12-13, 3.72), Game 4 (if necessary) – James Shields (13-15, 5.18 ERA) vs. Tommy Hunter (13-4, 3.73). Game 5, also if necessary, would take place next Tuesday.
Rangers’ slugger Josh Hamilton is clearly not 100%, which is something to watch out for. He missed 24 games with injured ribs before returning for the final three games of the regular season. He went 3 for 11 with one home run and three RBI’s …

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Love Basketball But Need Tips To Play Better? Check Out These Ideas!

Laura05 mins

Basketball is truly a great game for people of all ages. Whether you want to play for fun or even professionally, it takes some research to learn all you can about mastering game play. This article was written to assist you thanks to its great tips and tricks which come from those in the know, so read on.

When shooting a basketball, it is important to stay relaxed and stay focused. Tensing your forearms can result in a missed shot. Additionally, losing focus can cause you to miss a shot that you would normally make. To help keep you relaxed and focused, take a deep breath before shooting.

When dribbling, try to keep the ball low to the ground. This makes it more difficult for opponents to steal the ball away from you while dribbling. Keep the ball low and pass it from hand to hand while weaving in and out through your opponents. This will help you maintain control of the ball.

Work on becoming a more clever basketball player, rather than trying to master a few clever plays. Your opponents will eventually figure out your plays, but will have difficulty if they cannot anticipate your overall playing ability. Learn to be surprising, quick thinking and more agile in your ability to get the ball and work the court.

Always remember that to be a great basketball player, you’ve got to be a great athlete first. Put as much time into conditioning your body and increasing your endurance as you do shooting and passing. This will improve your play under even the most excruciating circumstances, making you an invaluable team member.

Picking the right basketball shoe can be very important to your game. If you need support for your ankles, choose a high top sneaker. Make sure that the sole of the shoe has enough traction to prevent slipping. Always buy a shoe that is the correct size by having your feet measured at a sporting goods store.

Even though you may miss ten times in a row, you will succeed eventually. Keep calm and focus on your form instead of letting your emotions get to you. This will help you develop good habits and grow as a player. Each shot you take is unique and has nothing to do with the previous ten shots you just missed.

Beware of picking up bad habits from street basketball games. Street games are often rougher and flashier than team basketball. It’s a game to impress through individual showmanship, not from your work as part of a bigger group. Therefore, you can bring the wrong skills to the table if you base your team play on what you’ve learned from street games. Remember, you are part of something bigger than just you.

As you dribble a ball, you need to keep these tips in mind. Shooting, rebounding or even coaching others all requires you to try out what you have learned here. As you do, you will improve and your teammates will …

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All Things Football: Essential Tips And Tricks

Laura05 mins

The game of football is one of giants. Football is made up of physically tough people, but also mentally tough ones too. You must be ready for what the opposition is about to do and strong enough to handle it. The tips below will help you master a winning strategy for your game play.

A good football tip is to perfect your swim move if you’re playing on the defensive line. The swim move is great because it allows you go get past your opponent so you can go straight for the quarterback or whoever has the ball. Being tied up on the line gets you nowhere.

Don’t concern yourself over your weight immediately. You may think that you need to gain a ton of weight to be a great football player, but really all you are doing is becoming fat and slow. More important is your conditioning. You want to be able to perform with the weight on you, so consider adding weight on slowly and with a good fitness plan.

A good football tip is to always make sure you’re properly hydrated. Football is a very fast paced sport and you can get dehydrated quick with each down and possession. In order to perform at your best, you need to make sure you’re drinking water as often as you can.

Make sure you work on your mental game as much as your physical game when preparing for football. Although keeping in shape and practicing the drills is tough for anybody, the mental aspects of football are what trips most players up on the field. Make sure you’re as tough mentally as you are physically.

Learn about the different types of football. Tackle football is the kind of football that is played by the NFL, which is very physical. Flag football involves pulling a “flag” or ribbon off an opposing player. Touch football involves “tackles” where you just touch another player using both of your hands.

Use interval sprint training to really boost your stamina. Sprint for 30 seconds, then rest for 1 minute. Sprint and rest again. Keep repeating this until you can not physically spring anymore that day. Record your total number of sprints for that day, and aim to beat it by one the next day. Most days you won’t, but you will slowly edge that number up.

Correct technique is vital for catching passes on a rainy day. Keep your feet pointed toward the ball to prevent slipping. That allows you to control it when it arrives. Additionally, your hips and chest should stay in a similar position to your legs. Place your hands towards the front of the ball and off to the side.

You will never achieve your goals by being lazy. When you skip a practice, don’t work out, eat the wrong things or allow your mind to wander, you will end up a loser. If you would rather be a winner, focus on your goals and do what it takes to …

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Top Tips And Techniques To Polish Your Football Skills

Laura05 mins

So you’re here because you want to learn more about football? Or perhaps you just want to learn the basics so you aren’t lost the next time there is a matchup on television? No matter your reason for being here, you truly want to take in the following article for great tips on football.

Have a plan in place whenever you get ready to practice. You need to know your schedule, including how long you will spend on each drill. Have a list of drills you can use and then choose which you’ll do each day. Don’t forget to warm up before you begin!

For receivers, having a variety of different routes is necessary to be able to shake the defense. Practice the post, fade, hitch and quick-out routes during every practice session. The more you practice them, the more they will seem like second nature to you. Come game time, you will be able to run them with your eyes closed.

Make learning a part of your football regimen. Too many people think sports like football is all about being physical. Your brain is just as important. You need to exercise your mind to be able to learn your team’s patterns and make split second decisions. It’s brains and brawn that are important in football.

Running backs are members of the offense. For a running play, the quarterback may pass the ball to a running back who will run the ball as far as he can. When the ball is going in the air, the running back may help protect the quarterback from tacklers or he may try to get open to catch a pass.

Try to focus some of your exercises on increasing speed. Do jumping squats to increase the speed of your reflex muscles. Squat down and jump on a step. Stand straight up and then jump back down and into a squat. Repeat this exercise 40 times daily and gradually increase the height of the step.

If you play a defensive position such as a linebacker or defensive lineman, learn to tip the ball away from the receiver. The best way to learn this is by watching film of successful tips and practicing with your teammates. When the ball is thrown, look at its trajectory and run toward where it will land. Then, jump and smack at the ball as it passes above you.

Learn the proper technique for catching a football. The best receivers know that the quicker they can grab the ball, the less likely the defense will get it. To catch a ball extend your arms and reach for the ball as it gets close to you. Then tuck the ball to help avoid fumbling the football.

Football is so much fun to watch that many people are plan their entire week around upcoming games. Maybe you were someone who just a little bit of knowledge and were lost when watching the game? After reading the article from above, you now have the …

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Football Tips For Both Players And Fans

Laura05 mins

How can you become the best football player you can be? You already practice as often as possible, and you always listen to what your coach has to say. There is more to being great than just that, and reading this article will be one step you can take towards greatness.

Keep in mind that safety is paramount in football. Whether you’re practicing or playing a game, it’s important to remain safe. Always wear the appropriate protective equipment and stretch your muscles first.

Treat all of your fellow players, even your opposition, with the respect they deserve. Football is a taxing sport on body and mind. Everyone that plays is a warrior in his own right. It shows great courage and teamwork. Keep that in mind, and don’t react poorly to misplays and losing. Treat your fellow players the way you’d want to be treated.

When your child plays football, make sure he wears the proper helmet to avoid injuries. The helmet should have an outer shell made of hard plastic and the padding should be thick. It should also have a face mask that’s rigid and a chin strap containing a protective chin cup. The chin strap should always be snug and fastened when playing.

If you want to be a quarterback, or just be better at playing the position, the one thing you need to work on more than anything is passing. Even when you don’t have access to a field, step outside with a friend and aim to throw past them so they have to run and catch it. If you don’t have someone to practice with, throw at a stationary target.

Remember that making a running play is a little different than making a receiving play. You want to take the football from the quarterback with only one hand. You don’t cover it up with both arms until you are about to be tackled. Make sure that you hold onto the ball until you hear the whistle stopping play.

Try practicing dance as a way to improve your football skills. While dance isn’t rough and tough like football, dancing can better your footwork. Fancy footwork can better your ability when you’re it counts on the field.

If you receive the ball, run at a diagonal angle until you have open field in front of you. Then, power down the line as fast as you can. By being constantly alert during the play, you can find the best openings and gain extra yardage on each play.

Take every chance you can to study football footage, but when you can, study footage of yourself. Try and see yourself through an opponent’s eyes. Look for tells or signs of what you are about to do, as well as habits you have that are predictable. Always have a way to keep your opponent guessing.

Now that you plan to use the advice from this article, nothing can stop you from reaching your goals. Be safe as you play to avoid …

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